Not only will you get to see these beautiful little birds, you'll have beautiful flowers too! This added weight and oil cause the down to clump together. Hang the feeder from it and the ants crawl right into it and can't get out. After looking on the internet and being discouraged with the results, I have come up with an easy and virtually free way to keep ants away from my feeders. It did not discourage the humming bird from feeding daily. This could include adding an “ant moat” or using a slippery fishing line to suspend the feeder. The program pays this website advertising fees for products purchased after users click the links to Amazon. Thanks for sharing the suggestions which didn't work and then your creative idea that solves the problem. I'm going to put this on my blog, which should get you some exposure. At a whopping 4.2% of its body weight, it makes ours at 2% seem tiny by comparison. But if maintained properly, an ant moat is the best way to keep ants away from your feeder. A plastic lid sprayed with household cleaner and placed above the hummingbird feeder can keep ants at bay. Before you move the hummingbird feeder to another location, you should also adjust your setup to prevent a recurrence of the ant problem. Here on our farm, we seem to make a solution to a problem instead of buying commercial items. When I looked on the internet for ideas, all I found were ideas for moats or coatings for the hook or chain. Let's look at their shortcomings. At one point I had small wasps which hounded my hummingbird feeders preventing the birds from getting to a feeding station. Ants are generally unable to get to nectar in dripless hummingbird feeders that require hummers to use their tongues to retrieve nectar from the inside. Proportionally, hummingbirds have a large ratio of brain mass to body mass than humans. If you’ve had a previous ant infestation, you should also wash out your hummingbird feeder so the ant carcasses or scents do not deter hummingbirds from returning. Question: Does it matter what size the plastic lid is as long as it is sprayed and hung correctly? Although not an ideal solution, in the short term, it may have long-term benefits. I'm letting it dry, does the smell dissipate? Make sure the sprayed side is facing the top to serve as a landing zone for ants. The sprayed side should be on the top or facing up. In fact, they leave behind a residue that is toxic to humans. Not only does it keep the hummingbirds and other nectar-feeding birds away, it encourages more ants—and that is something nobody wants. I would also like to add here that not only do we get the hummingbirds visiting our feeders, we have them nesting in our garden. Thanks for reading this article from Pest Control Gurus. The wasps can be a problem, but mine seem to be sporadic as we have many flowering trees and plants that keep them occupied. Some experts also warn about using adhesive tape and Tree Tanglefoot insect barriers as these can also cause health issues for birds. Below is a list of some common flowering plants that attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. So, you may also look at other dye-free alternatives, such as boiling sugar in with water. If you are currently having an issue with ants, one of the most effective (and cost-effective) methods is to “go medieval” and add an add moat to your feeder line. Wipe the feeder down using very hot water, but make sure the water is not hot enough to burn your hands. Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on January 07, 2017: I will try this when we go back to our cottage this summer. Related Article: 12 Best Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders. Tubular flowers are a bonus for them, as this type of flower can hold a lot of nectar. I then sprayed the string with WD-40. All you have to do is apply it each springtime and that’s it! Ants are attracted to sugar residue, so cleaning the feeder can keep them away. Spray WD-40 on shoe string. Is this working for anyone else? Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on May 21, 2016: They are such a joy to watch. On some blogs, you might see a mention of wrapping adhesive tape around the pole of your hummingbird feeder. Cats like to stalk their prey. But it quickly became an ant feeder. Move the feeder a few feet away Once ants find something, they will continue raiding it until it’s completely depleted. As you investigate, you still see nectar in the feeder. Peg Cole from Northeast of Dallas, Texas on September 09, 2018: Thanks for this insightful solution to the ant problem. While this article is mostly focused on keeping ants away from your hummingbird feeder, it is worth mentioning that bees can also be a nuisance. Begin by making a hole in the center of your plastic lid. You can either buy a bird feeder with built in ant moats or you can attach an ant moat to an existing feeder. How to Keep Ants Out of Your Hummingbird Feeder One of the best ways to keep ants out of hummingbird feeders is to use an ant moat, guard or trap. Just for the record, black ants bite too. Here is an easy and inexpensive way to keep those unwanted ants off your feeders. Need is the mother of invention ain't it? If you know anyone who has a problem with ants on their hummingbird feeders, please share this with them. If you have any questions regarding pest control, leave them below. Go for it, and let us know your results. Red flowers attract them. Before moving to Brazil I thought there were two types of ants ~ red and black. If this repeats over the span of several days, a hummingbird’s ability to fly is diminished and they may ultimately fall victim to common predators such as cats, hawks, eagles, and other animals. They can be aggressive and territorial. I use a clear plastic moat that I bought from a "bird shop". Ants drawn to the Hummingbird food are a problem: Some hummingbird feeders have ant motes, traps, or ant guards built right into the feeder. Sharing this forward. Once ants find a fantastic food source (such as your hummingbird feeder), they leave behind a scent trail to make it easy for the rest of the colony to locate. Ants and wasps can be such a nuisance on our feeders. Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on July 29, 2017: I bought my feeders from the States as the only ones I've seen here are plastic, and not attractive. To stop leakage, hang the devices in a less-than-breezy area and stow them away in rough conditions. Easy way to rid ants from humming bird feeder. It's often the unusual things that work the best. What about bees ? Hummingbirds can burn up to 12,000 calories a day! These pests rarely bother hummingbirds, but their persistence can easily drain a feeder in a few days. I have received a message from a reader that he used Dawn dish soap and that worked for him! Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on August 08, 2020: Thank you Linda, this gives the readers even more options to try. A simple feeder like the Opus Glass Hummingbird Feeder requires the birds to be in flight while drinking the nectar. Before we dive into the ants on the hummingbird feeder problem, we should probably answer why hummingbirds are so reluctant to share a hummingbird feeder with ants. One of the most popular dripless hummingbird feeders on the market these days is the Cuboid Insect-Proof Hummingbird Feeder. Some hummingbird feeder owners tie either bay or mint leaves around the suspension cord leading to the hummingbird feeder. You are so lucky to have a lot of hummingbirds. Home » Pest Guides » How to Keep Ants Off Hummingbird Feeders (7 Smart Ways). Answer: Flying ants and wasps are a problem. Thank you! Answer: I have never done it but I see no reason not to. Use moats as barriers to keep crawling insects away – 
A Ants are persistent in climbing hooks, chains and poles to reach a nectar feeder, but they cannot cross a water barrier. Pineapple sage is one of the largest herbs I've ever grown and sometimes it makes it through the winter. It turns out there are about 22,000 different types and we have our fair share here in Brazil. Watch as we highlight the best way to keep ants and other insects out of the nectar in your hummingbird feeders. Spray the topside of the lid with insect spray, 409, Mr. I have seen a video of one flying to a camera strap that had a red Canon logo on it. Hummingbird Feeder Ants are a real health hazard for the hummingbird! Hummingbirds are attracted to a good nectar recipe, but so are ants, bees, hornets, wasps, and other sweet-loving insects.Fortunately, there are many easy ways to control insects to keep bees away from hummingbird feeders without harming the birds. We haven't had wasps on the feeders for a couple of years now. While a drip pan below the hummingbird feeder can be effective, one other alternative is to buy a dripless-style hummingbird feeder. Something to poke a hole, such as a pair of scissors, a skewer, or the point of a knife. After reading your ideas, I came up with one of my own. A larger bird like the woodpecker wouldn’t be able to mob the small feeder. It's so infuriating putting out a hummingbird feeder only to find it quickly overrun with pesky ants. I have tried all of these with only limited success. As superb a repellant to ants bay leaves are, you can use them to save your feeders. Of course, when they find the new location, I move it again. Ant Moats. Many people are plagued by ants, and this is going to be a Godsend to those that have wanted to retain feeders, but don't because of the pests. I will have to find out if it will grow here. Since chitin is slick and oily, regular adhesive tape has little effect on ants. You could almost compare their chirps and vocalizations to our Yelp and Twitter reviews. Over half of my life has been dedicated to providing service to people with a premium placed on excellence. They have completely disappeared from my yard. Bees are attracted to yellow. Mary Wickison (author) from Brazil on July 22, 2017: Oh, that's great news. One popular hummingbird feeder that doesn’t have yellow is the Bolite 18006 Hummingbird Feeder. Answer: I would try it and see. I tried the moat idea, but like the author, I don't have the time to fill it several times a day. First time in 10 years I have had this ant problem. Today I went to change my bird feeder and I had ants. I have been doing this for 2 years and its been working for me. I can see the benefits to that as it won't evaporate like water or be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Where we live is 3° south of the equator and our temperature is a constant 88-90° (F) year round. 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